2006 Nationwide Tour Agronomy Tournament

Chuck Green

Regional Director

 TPC Golf Course Maintenance Operations

NATIONWIDE TOUR AGRONOMY TOURNAMENT PREPARATION

To:                   Casey Kim, Golf Course Superintendent

                        Somerby Golf Club

From:               Chuck Green              

Tim Finchem	John Slater
Jon Scott	Bill Oakley
Bill Calfee	Gordy Hanson, Tournament Director
Jim Duncan	Cal Roth
Orlando Pope	Collier Miller
	Advance Book

                 

Date:                May 25, 2006             

Subject:            Scholarship America Showdown at Somerby           

Dear Casey:

It was great meeting you and spending the day reviewing your golf course and maintenance area on my first visit to Somerby Golf Club. You have a great facility, and I can certainly see why the Nationwide Tour would choose this venue as host for the 2006 Scholarship America Showdown at Somerby.  The tournament date this year is good timing operationally as you will be at a full seasonal staff of 38 plus volunteers.  Consequently, you should have no problem completing the required tournament maintenance schedule.  You also have all of the required equipment except for a few utility vehicles and four additional backup walk mowers for tees and greens.  You have already spoken with the local equipment distributor and should have no problem with having them on site for the tournament.  Enclosed you will find a Tournament Preparation Checklist which includes specific recommendations to assist you as you prepare for the upcoming tournament. 

  

The course has come out of your winter in very good shape, and all the playing surfaces of the course are in great condition with no issues.  It has been very wet the last two weeks with over 6 inches of rainfall falling which has made work difficult, but once things dry down you should have no problem starting your spring maintenance programs and getting all the detail work caught up.    

GREENS

The greens overall are in very good condition, but there are a few small isolated weak areas on the perimeters of several greens.  They should easily fill in over the next two to four weeks of spring growing weather.  There are also several greens which have spots on the perimeters where the geotextile liner is visible.  You are going to cut this out as soon as possible so that the areas have ample time to heal and not be an issue during play.  You are going to verticut and topdress biweekly until the week before Advance Week to further smooth and firm the greens.  You will also be applying biweekly applications of Uflex foliar fertilizer at 1/10 lb./m and Primo at 5 oz./acre.

TEES

The tees are in excellent condition except #6 and #17 which are a little weak coming out of winter dormancy.  They have already been seeded and should catch up to the rest of the tees in the next 30 days.  All tournament decks will be verticut and topdressed twice before the tournament to further firm them.

FAIRWAYS

The fairways are in excellent condition with a good stand of pure L93 bentgrass.  They will be verticut at least one time before the tournament to further smooth them out and give them a more consistent playing surface.  They will also receive a biweekly application of Umax foliar fertilizer at .20 lb./m.  The last application will be made the week before or during Advance Week as the schedule permits.      

ROUGH

The roughs are a solid stand of rye and bluegrass and are very lush and consistent.  The carts will be restricted to the paths two weeks prior to the tournament to allow for cart traffic wear to grow out.  There should be sufficient time for this since it is at the height of the growing season.

BUNKERS

Overall, the bunkers are in good shape.  They have just been edged and the sand looks good and consistent.  No additional sand and very little shifting is needed before Advance Week.

OTHER

The upper practice tee is now closed and will be dedicated to the tournament.  The front half has been seeded and should grow in to provide good conditions for the event.  All areas of the practice facility are in excellent condition. 

Thank you for your time and consideration during my recent visit.  Please don’t hesitate to give me a call should you have any questions on this report or anything else that may come up between now and the tournament.  I certainly look forward to working with you during Advance Week.

Chuck